Opportunities For You This Summer Term (and Why Inclusion Has Never Mattered More)

After Easter, the pressure ramps up. Exams are approaching. Energy dips.

And for some young people… this becomes the hardest term of the year.

Not because of the content. But because of how they feel.

Many leaders are telling us the same thing:

“We’re trying everything… but we’re still not reaching some of our most vulnerable students.”

A growing focus in schools right now

Across the schools we’re working with, three priorities keep coming up:

• Inclusion – every young person feeling they belong

• Wellbeing – managing rising pressure and anxiety

• SEND – meeting a wider range of needs with confidence

At the same time:

• Engagement is fragile for some students

• Dysregulation is more visible

• Staff want strategies that actually work in real classrooms

What’s making the difference

The biggest shift isn’t adding more. It’s changing how we support young people.

When students feel safe, connected and regulated… they are far more likely to engage, attend and succeed.

This is especially true for:

• Students with SEND

• Those struggling with behaviour or engagement

• Young people who don’t yet feel they belong

In one fantastic partner AP, senior leader Thomas Woodrow told us that incidents like building damage and serious incidents, once a regular feature, have now disappeared to a level they hadn’t seen for years, alongside improving attendance. We are looking forward to sharing their case study with you later this term.

Not through tighter control. Through safer, more connected environments.

A simple, inclusive focus

The schools seeing the biggest impact are focusing on:

💛 Relationships – for safety, trust, and connection

🤝 Movement – for regulation and belonging

🧠 Self-care toolkits – confidence, self kindness and developing emotional intelligence

Not lowering expectations. Creating the conditions for all students to meet them.

If you’re planning for September… start here

The strongest schools are using this half term to get clarity:

• Where are we now?

• Who are we not reaching yet?

• How confident are staff to respond in the moment?

The RISE Wellbeing Intelligence Snapshot

This is a student voice tool focused on the children we often talk about most… but hear from least.

It gives you:

• Direct insight from hard-to-reach pupils

• Clear patterns around safety, connection and confidence

• A sharper understanding of SEND and vulnerable learners

From there, we support you to:

• Interpret what it means

• Identify practical next steps

• Train staff to respond consistently

Then 9 months later, we revisit the same group to:

• Measure change

• Evidence impact

• Strengthen your strategy

Because inclusion isn’t built on assumptions. It’s built on listening, and responding well.

A joined-up approach that sticks

For schools wanting a sustainable approach, this sits within the RISE Up programme:

Intent

• Clear, bespoke shared vision

• Benchmark starting points (incl. Snapshot)

• Align with your context

Implementation

• Practical CPD staff can use immediately

• Strategies for regulation, belonging and engagement

• Ongoing support to embed consistently

Impact

• Re-measure pupil voice

• Evidence changes in engagement, behaviour and wellbeing

• Create case studies for Ofsted, governors and stakeholders

Not a bolt-on initiative. A way of working.

Learning from real schools

We’ll be sharing case studies this term showing how schools are:

• Reducing behaviour incidents through psychological safety

• Increasing engagement for students with SEND

• Using movement to support readiness to learn

• Building a stronger sense of belonging

Practical. Real. Working in schools like yours.

How to get started (this term)

Most schools begin in one of three ways:

1. Start with clarity

→ Complete our School Wellbeing Scorecard here and book a call here to discuss your needs.

2. Build staff confidence

→ Practical CPD on relationships, regulation and inclusion

3. Embed across the school

→ Full RISE Up programme (Intent → Implementation → Impact)

We also run Celebration Events to re-engage students.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/e33011_53652ef06d9945e69e4f130e89c7640d/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

I’ll be sharing this work at brilliant conferences, schools and universities across the country this summer term, if you’re attending, do come and say hello.

You'll find us speaking at:

• Yorkshire Sport Foundation Alternative Provision/ SEMH School Networking Event - Barnsley - Tues 28th April

• Aspire Active Partnerships Conference - Birmingham - Fri 8th May

• afPE National Conference - Leeds - Tues 23rd June

• Sandwell Virtual School Conference - West Bromwich - Thurs 25th June

• Hampshire RISE Up Training Day - Winchester - Fri 26th June

• Cabot Learning Federation Training Day - Bristol - Thurs 9th July

Do get in touch if you want more information about any of these events.

A final thought

Inclusion isn’t just about who is in the room. It’s about who feels safe enough to take part. Who feels connected enough to try. Who feels confident enough to keep going.

This half term won’t be defined by how much you cover. But by how many young people feel like they belong.

If you’d like to explore what this could look like in your school, feel free to drop me a message or book a short call.

💬 Reflection:

Which students in your school are still on the edge of belonging… and what’s one small shift that could bring them in?

Many senior leaders are already planning for September.

The ones making the biggest impact are starting now by asking:

• Who are we not reaching yet?

• What’s our current provision for inclusion and wellbeing?

• How confident are our staff to respond in the moment?

Thank You

Have a brilliant week, and thank you for everything you do for your young people.

Neil Moggan and the Future Action team 

💛🤝🧠💪